Travel Time: How To Spend 24 Hours in Budapest

With only one day to spend in the beautiful capital city of Hungary, here we share some insider tips to make the most of your time in Budapest. 

Budapest is rich in culture and historical significance, brimming with beautiful vintage buildings and striking architecture. Walk around the streets of Budapest and you will be instantly transported to a bygone era where bold structures and older buildings set the tone.

The Szechenyi Bridge (Chain Link Bridge):

This is the large suspension bridge that spans across the Danube River in Budapest. It connects the very different ‘Buda’ and ‘Pest’ sides of this diverse city. Boasting walkways on either side of the bridge, you will certainly gain a new perspective of the city with a walk across this bridge. The views are breathtaking and the bridge itself has become a symbol of advancement in Hungary. The many decorations made of cast iron, and its construction, radiate calm dignity and balance, and have elevated the Chain Bridge to a high stature in Europe.

Traditional Cuisine in Budapest:

Your day visit to Budapest would be incomplete if you did not experience the local cuisine. Food in Budapest is hearty and homemade and includes certain delicacies such as traditional meat dishes like goulash, stuffed cabbage and strudels. If you want to eat where the locals eat, then there is a range of cheaper eateries in Budapest which consists of a few old-style, self-service restaurants, food stalls in markets and some interesting street food joints. Hungarian street food is also popular with items such as grilled sausages in a cone-shaped bread.

A visit to Matthias Church on the Castle Hill:

Matthias Church is unlike many of the typical churches dating back to the Middle Ages. Be prepared to be surprised for its off the beaten track inner beauty. The church was used as a coronation church by Hungarian kings for centuries, also a mosque for over 150 years by the Ottoman Turks, once owned by Franciscans, Jesuits, now a thriving Catholic church with holy masses, concerts, plenty of weddings, thousands of tourists. The graceful architecture and stunningly rich, all embracing wall paintings of the majestic building will leave you speechless.

The most beautiful cafe in the world:

At the turn of the 20th century the New York Café (New York Kávéház) was the most beautiful and the most beloved coffee house in Budapest. It was a popular place among writers and editors, in fact, the most influential newspapers were edited here, upstairs in the gallery. After World War II, the once famous café fell into disrepair and it served as a sporting goods shop. Although the café reopened in 1954, under the name of Hungária, it wasn’t until 2006 that the New York Café was restored to its original splendor.

Today, the New york Palace, built in eclectic Italian Renaissance-style and opened on October 23rd 1894, gives home to the New York Palace. The café, along with a restaurant and the Nyugat -bar are now part of the hotel. The menu recalls the multicultural cuisine of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Classic dishes like Beef Goulash, Fishermen Soup, Chicken Leg Paprikash-style, Wiener Schnitzel and Grilled Foie Gras are served along with famous desserts such as Dobos, Sacher and Eszterházy cake.

Budapest – a feast for the senses! Have you been? Let us know in the comments and share your favourite spots with us!